MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino on Thursday issued a memorandum circular outlining changes to the current yellow lane only policy for buses on Edsa, which they expect to have a significant impact immediately.

Under Memorandum Circular 8, Series of 2012, which took effect immediately Thursday afternoon, the MMDA allowed both provincial and city buses to pass through the Ortigas flyover if they are going northbound, aside from the Magallanes Interchange, which they are allowed to use whether they are going northbound or southbound.

However, all provincial and city buses are still not allowed to use tunnels and underpasses along Edsa.

The memorandum circular was issued after the MMDA’s consultation with some 50 bus operators on Wednesday, where they gave feedback and suggestions to the agency’s strict yellow lane policy, which caused heavy traffic on Edsa on Monday.

Provincial buses have also been allowed to travel on the third lane of EDSA immediately after the two yellow lanes, and they were also given the green light to traverse all flyovers along the 24-kilometer stretch of the highway.

On the other hand, city buses will still have to stick with yellow lanes along EDSA, but they can use the Ortigas flyover when going northbound.

The memorandum circular also reiterated previous policies, such as that both city and provincial buses should only load and unload passengers in their respective designated terminals and bus stops along the highway.

Buses should also stack themselves snugly while inside the loading and unloading bays, and should follow the Bus A/Bus B systems in loading stations. It also clarified that city buses can load and unload in these stations for only 25 seconds.

The MMDA also revived the strict implementation of its closed-door policy for buses, which means that buses, both city and provincial, must keep their doors closed except when inside loading and unloading stations.